Top Premium Smartphones for 2018 Q1

New year, new smartphone? Now’s a great time to upgrade to an awesome new phone if you’ve been hanging on to yours for the past couple of years. We’re now in the age of personal assistants that are actually useful, face recognition security and even better front facing cameras for that perfect selfie!

iPhone X

We can’t mention new smartphones without the paying heed to one of the most popular and expensive ones out there.

Over the last few years Apple haven’t really wowed us with the release of their iPhones in terms of their design and there isn’t even much change in terms of looks in the new iPhone 8. However, this move brings all the more attention to the top-to-toe full screen nature of the iPhone X. It’s 5.8-inch screen is taller than the 5.5 inches of the iPhone Plus however, the X is narrower and this enables a more comfortable handling experience.

The obvious down side is the area at the top of the screen where Apple have made space for the front facing camera and face ID technology. This is somewhat irritating when viewing things in full screen but you soon get used to it. Besides that, the detail and colour of the display are amazing and features 458 ppi and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

As well as the screen are the improvements under the hood. The A11 Bionic chip is lightening quick and powerful.

The iPhone X also features a new Portrait Lighting Mode as part of the 12MP camera and the front facing 7MP camera. This is essentially lets you tweak the light around and on the face of the subject.

One other notable additions is the use of wireless charging and fast-charge of 50% in 30 minutes.

Google Pixel 2

Having previously mentioned the Samsung Galaxy S8, the Google Pixel 2 is next on our list.
Google have engaged in a fairly heavy marketing campaign for this new premium smartphone and are aiming it at users who want a fashionable yet durable phone that takes great selfies too.

As the phone goes, it’s a close runner up to the S8 and iPhone X but certainly lacks the style and and beauty of the aforementioned phones. Build quality is very good and and it’s not a phone that is going to slip out of your hands easily like the S8.

The 12MP camera front camera is excellent and this could be a deciding factor if you are trying to decide between this and other phones! It works well under low-light conditions and shorts 4K video as well.

The Pixel 2 comes with two storage sizes, 64GB and 128GB and there is also the Pixel 2 XL which sports a 6-inch screen if you are looking for something bigger than the standard 5-inch screen.

This phone’s other appeal is that it possesses a pure Android 8 experience including a dedicated button for Google Assistant.

Despite a smaller than average battery size for a high-end smartphone, the Pixel 2 is fast to charge and can get up to 7 hours of battery life in just 15-minutes of charging.

One other major thing to be aware of if that the Pixel 2 follows in the wake of iPhones by doing away with the headphone jack however, an adapter is included.

What megapixel is the Pixel 2 camera? Single 12 MP f/1.8 Rear Camera and a 8MP f/2.4 front facing camera

What are the dimensions of Pixel 2? 147 x 69.7 x 7.8mm

How much is the Pixel 2 Offline (Unlocked)? £629

OnePlus 5T

Outside of the big brand name phones, OnePlus are gaining a great reputation developing phones that are high spec, great to look at and affordable too.

The OnePlus 5T is their latest smartphone launched at the end of 2017. It’s an upgrade to their OnePlus 5 phone that launched prior. At under £450 SIM Free it’s a pretty cheap alternative compared to the big boys and packs some decent specifications including a 6 inch screen, a 3300 mAh battery and two storage options of 64GB and 128GB.

The camera specs aren’t to shabby either. 16MP at the front and a 20MP camera at the back.

What’s more amazing is that this phone comes with face recognition technology that can be used to unlock the phone. Although not as advanced as the iPhone X, it does work effectively.

This is definitely a premium phone and the build quality highlights this with it’s metal uni-body design. On the back of the phone there is also fingerprint scanner.

Unlike the Pixel 2, this phone comes with an older version of Android OS with it’s own overlay called Oxygen. It’s a clean and inspiring design that adds extra customization options.

Telecoms and SIM Only expert Rosh is passionate about saving money on mobile phone bills. He is also a technology enthusiast and keeps up to date with the latest gadgets and smartphones. In his spare time he also enjoys keeping fit by going to the gym and is a massive supporter of Arsenal FC.